Boat-launching mechanism



G. WRIGHT BOAT LAUNCHING MEGHANISM Marh 24. 1925. 1,530,971

Filed March 12;, 1925 fin 51E-- l UIQ-4- i citizen of the United States, and a resident` Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

UNITED PATENT OFFICE..x

` GEORGE waren/rger oAkLaii'ii, CALIFORNIA.

lipiiiiatin me Mrtir i2, 1923. sensi N. 624,372".

To all whom t concerti.: l 4

Be 1t known that I. GEORGE WRIGHT, a

lof Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Boat-Lannching'v Mechanism, of which the following is aV specification; .t t t Thisv inventionf appertains to certain' improvementsin apparatus for launching'life boats and the like from on boardsteainships' and Iother types of vesselsat sea,

The principal Object f als wenn@ is a' provide for an apparatus of the class nientioned, and one particularly designed t'ofacilitate and otherwise assure of the positive and quick launching of life boats` and the like from wrecked or seriously damaged steamships and other largevessels, and regardless of the degree of listing or rolling of the Steamship or vessel from one end or side to the other ends or sides thereof.

Another objectV of the invention is to pro-` sides in the certain novel and useful con-A struction Aand arrangement as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustratedlin thev accompanying drawing, in which A Figure 1 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sect'ionftaken onthe line'1- -1 of Figure 2, and shows, in full lines, the vnormally inoperative position of the lai'inch'ing apparatus with a life boat supported thereon,`

and, in broken lines, the operative position of the apparatus with' the lifeboat swung to partial outboard position and ready for the .tinal launching operation,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan View of aportion of the deck of a vessel, a'nd showing al preferredembodiment of the inventionas applied thereto, Y t

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary and Verneui- Saioa area da the-uae 3;'3 0f Figure 11,r

, Figure 4c is a similar section taken on the hne lf-4: of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is another similar section taken on the line 0f Figure 3, and, y,Figure 6 is a detail, inside ,elevation of a modified form of dog or pawl `for pivotal attachment to the brase arm.

' Referring to the. drawing, wherein similar characters of reference designates corresponding partsvthroughout the rseveral views,

thereof, the numeral 10 indicates a portion of the deck or vother boat supporting surface of a vessel at one sidethereof, which is provided' with spaced parallel channels orslotted openings 11 therein, the same being of a `suitable length, one corresponding to the other, and opening outwardly through the side edge ofthe deck or supporting sur*v face 10.

Secured within each of the channels or slots 11,` and coextensive therewith', isa bar 12 having a channel way 13 opening through its upper side from points immediately ad-y jacent the ends thereof. ,Formed medially of the bottom wall of the channel-way 13` is an elongatedseries of rack teeth 14 having their inclined faces directed towardtheouter sideedge of the decklO.v Inturned `from the Opposite longitudinaledges of the channel-' way 13 are flanges 15 having their opposed edges spaced apart te a slightly greater width than that of therowfof rackteeth 1.4L

"whereby the latter are exposed through the opening formed therebetween. Theseflanges f 15 extend from the eXtreme forward and outer ends of the channel-way 13`and terminate at a point slightly-short of the rear or inner ends of the same, substantiallyo as shown in Figures 1 and 2, whereby to provide open spaces 16 for the full width of the channel ways.

Pivoted, as at 17, to the eXtreme forward or outer ends of each of the bars 12 is the Outer end of a skid member inthe formof a swung downwardly on` its pivot to be supported on the flanges 15., 4Each .of the skid yflat bar 18',`,which is normally disposed tov be i members 18` are preferably made from lengths of wooden timber, and, in which caseis recessed' at the under side thereof, at, points substantially intermediate the ends of the same to have secured ltherein a plate 19t() whichl is pivot'ed, as atj20 and atiits forward end, an arrn21 whiclif` is of a' Widtht to pass inwardly of the slotted opening of the channel way 13 and between the opposed edges of the flanges 15. This arm 21 is extended in a rearward direction from its pivot 20 and terminates at a point beyond the inner end of the skid member 18, where it is provided with an angularly disposed elongated portion 22 having an axial bore 23 therein through which is passed a dog or pawl 24 disposed in engagement with the rack teeth 14. This dog or pawl 24 has a reduced outer shank portion 25 having a shoulder 26 formed at its inner connected end and an enlarged linger gripping portion 27 at its outer end. The upper or outer end portion of the bore n3 is enlarged to house therein a coiled spring 28 engaged over the shank 25, the inner end of the spring 28 being arranged to bear against the inner shouldered portion 26, of the shank 25 to normally hold the dog or pawl 24 in depressed position, while the outer end of the spring bears against a screw plug- 29 closing theopen end of the enlarged portion of the axial bore 23, and through which the outer end portion of the shank 25 passes.

Mounted on the inner end of each of the skid members 18 is an angular bracket or plate 30, preferably having its upper part set inwardly of a recess formed in the skid end to lie ush with the upper face thereof,

Vand having spaced rearwardly extended ears 31 through which is engaged a pivot memis the lower end of the lower section 33 of a turn-buckle 34, which, in turn, is operably connected to the upper end of the section 33 by means ofa swivel head 35 formed on the latter.y Threaded into the upper end of the turn-buckle 34 is an upper rod secvtion 35 which has its free end formedvto provide a hooked portion 36 adapted to normally be engaged over the adjacent edge of a life boat or the like A supported crosswise of the skid members 18, substantially as shown in Figures 1 and 2'. By adjusting the turn-buckle 34 to proper length, and with the hooked end portion 36 of the upper rod section thereof engagedover the edge of the lift boat A, the latter will be maintained in balanced position on its keel a.. In the operation of the apparatus thus damagedfso as to list to one side or the other,

the turn-buckles 34 will be loosened suffi-V ciently to admit of the hooked ends 3,6 be- Engaged on this pivot member 32.

as shown in broken lines in Figure 1, when the life boat A willbe free to slide downwardly thereof tofnll outboard position, when the falls B are slacked off for the purpose` As the skid members 18 are swung upwardly on their pivotes 17 the arms 21, by reason of their pivotal connections 2O to the under sides of the skid members, will move-in a forwardly or outwardly direction therewith, and, upwardly inclined position to act as braces or supporting struts for sus` taining the skid members 18 in any desired raised position, such function being permitted to the arms 21 by reason of the dogs or pawls 24 riding freely over he rack -teeth 14, in the forward movements of the arms 21, and engaging in front'of onevof the rack teeth, when the forward movement ofthe arms ceases. 1

rThe inner free end of thearm 21 is maintained in its engaged relation with the channel 13 ofv each of the'bars 12 at all times by means lateral offset portions 21 formed at the extreme inner of free end of the arm 21 and which have sliding engagement with the channel 13 beneath the yflanges 15 of the bars 12. These offset portions 21 are preferably of a cylindrical formation. and are inserted into position beneath the flanges 15 through the spaces 16 at the rear ends of the latter, when the parts of the apparatus are assembled and installed. The opposed edges of the fianges 15, together with the offset portions 21, therefore, act to maintain the alignment of the arm 21 with the channel way and the dog or pawl 24 in operative engagement with the rack'teeth 14 of each of the bars 12; v

In Figure 6, there is` shown a modified form of dog or pawl 24a which is bifurcated at itsfforward end toy receive therein the inner or'free end of the arm 21,which is coupledin position by means of a pivot pin 37 passed through the-bifurcated portions of the dog or pawl and the arm for the purpose. The body of the dog or pawl 241?L is preferably elongated in a rearward direction for thepivot connection 37, and

is under-cut, as. at 38, at its under side irn-` mediately adjacent the lpivot 37 and also inwardly of its free end, as at 39 to form :therebetween a rearwardly ydirected pawl tooth 40. The rear end portion of )the dog manner of the cyliiidiical offset portions 21` hereinbefore mentioned. This dog or pawl body 24a is relatively heavy, so as to be maintained in engagen'ient with the rack,

teeth 14 under its own weight, combined with that of the arm 21a, and in its forwai'd iiioveiiient will ride fi'eely over the forwardv inclined faces of the rack teeth 14, but

when the desired limit of forward movement is reached, i. e., t-lie skid members 18 being raised to an inclined position sufficient to assure of the movement of the life boat outboard of the side of the vessel and clear of the side of the vessel and clear of the edge of the deck oi' supporting surface 10, the tooth 40 will engage the forward face of the nearest of the rack teeth 14 to hold each of the arms 21 in bracing position with respect to the raised skid members. In'the use of either of the two forms of dogs or pawls 24 and 24a, to return the skid members 18 and the arms 21 or 21" to normally inoperative positions, the same will be raised free from their engagement with the rack teeth 14,

when they will be moved rearwardly of the channels 13 simultaneously with the gravitation of the skid members 18 and the arms 21 or 21 to positions of readiness for the next `launching operation.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that, while a preferred embodiment of the apparatus has been described and illustrated herein in specific terms and details of constructioi'i, arrangement and op` eration, various changes in and modifications of the saine may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed, is

1. Iii a life boat launching apparatus for vessels, means mounted on the vessel for effecting the hoisting and lowering of a l-ife boat from and toy water-borne position, skid members pivoted at their outer ends to and extending inwardly from an edge of the deck of the vessel and normally supporting the life boat in cross-wise relation thereon, means carried by said skid members for securing the life boat in a balanced position thereon,

and means cooperative with said skid members whereby to maintain the same in their raised and outwardly inclined positions.-

2. In a life boat launching apparatus for vessels, means mounted on. the vessel for effecting the hoisting and lowering of a lifeboat from and to a water-borne position, skid members pivoted at their outer ends at the side edges4 of a deck of the vessel and extending inwardly `therefrom in spaced parallel relation, said skid members being normally supported in parallel relation to the upper surface of the deck and having the life boat resting cross-wise thereon, means carried at the inner ends of said skid members for engaging the inner edge of the life boat to maintain the same in a balanced and secured positiombrace arms normally underlying said skid members and pivoted Y at their forward ends thereto, channeled rack bars set into the surface of the deck beneath said skid members and brace arms, pawls car` ried at the inner ends of said brace arms and disposed in engagement with said channeled .rack bars, and means for releasing said life boat engaging and securing means and thereafter for effecting the tilting of said skid members von their pivots to raised outwardly inclined positions whereby to cause the life boat to slide downwardly thereof to outboard position ready for thelowering operation of saidifirst mentioned means, said skid members, during their raising movements, acting to raise said bracey arms to a forwardly inclined position, when the pawls carried by the latter will engage adjacentv teeth of said rack bars whereby tofmaintain the arms and skid members in their raised operative positions.

3. In a life boat launching apparatus for vessels, skid members pivoted at their outer ends to and extending inwardly from an edge of the deck, means for securing a life vboat in balanced position thereon, said means forming a handle for raising said skid members into inclined position, and means cooperative with said skid members formaintaining same in raised inclined position.

. 4. In a life boat launching apparatus for vessels, skid members pivoted at their outer ends to and extending inwardly from an edge of the deck, a boat retaining member pivoted to thefree end of each skid member, said retaining member forming an elevating handle for its skid member, and a ratchet bar cooperating with each skid member for retaining same in raised inclined position.

GEORGIE WRIGHT. 

